


SwanQueen MD

by AdolescentWriter



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-28
Updated: 2016-08-20
Packaged: 2018-04-06 16:49:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4229445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AdolescentWriter/pseuds/AdolescentWriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma Swan is a resident surgeon. Her hobbies include being a total goof and day dreaming about saving the wizarding world as her alter ego, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Regina Mills is a television actress known for her portrayal as Dr. Eva Zambrano in Miami Medical, a show which Emma watches, religiously. What will happen when these two are brought together by a series fortunate events and coincidences?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a one-shot but I had a lot of candy and I was feeling very inspired. Hence this is now a multi-chapter story. Please review and let me know what you think and if you have any prompt submissions, my tumblr ask is always open :) Enjoy!

_“The fate of the wizarding world rests on your shoulders, Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Gandalf said, dramatically. “When you hear the cannon sound, leave the tent. You will face your darkest fears but remember, don’t give in and get the ring!”_

_“I will not disappoint you, Gandalf.” I nodded and raised my wand. My ears perked up as I awaited the sound of the cannon. Any second now, and I will be in the open field not knowing whether I was going to face Sauron, Voldemort or Darth Vader. My grip tightened around the wand and I peeked out of the tent flaps._

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_My brain started whirring. Since when did cannon’s beep?_

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_…Wait a minute…_

My eyes shot wide open and the tent flaps faded into nothingness. Instead, I was now looking at the magnolia ceiling of my regular, non-magical, small apartment room. I groaned loudly and turned in my bed, slamming my hand hard on the dismiss button of my alarm.

“Couldn’t you have waited five more minutes? I was about to save the wizarding world.” I grumbled at the alarm clock and slid out of bed. I moved towards the window and drew the curtains, letting the yellow rays flood in. My eyes squinted slightly as I adjusted to the bright light. Los Angeles was truly beautiful in the warm glow of the sun. I scratched my head and stretched a little, making my white Neighborhood T-shirt rise above my waist line.

I had finally awoken in time for a proper breakfast for the first time in a very long time. Being a resident surgeon specializing in pediatric cardiology was extremely tough. Insomnia was my reality and caffeine was my best friend. Because of extensive night wards, I would wake up with merely half an hour before signing-in time and it was just enough to get me to the hospital in a reasonable shape. But today, I had managed to snag an entire hour before reporting time, mostly because Mary-Margaret had covered my night shift and I had managed to get five whooping hours of sleep. To a doctor, five hours was like a day off. I could finally eat the Captain Crunchie cereal I got last month, which was still unopened and have a cup of hot chocolate with a dash of cinnamon and whole lot of marshmallows. The mere thought of this made my mouth water.

I headed into the living room, which although small, had a homey feeling to it. Thanks to my ‘too gay to function’ brother, Neil, who had decorated the entire apartment. With tacky items like a leather sofa in the center and lava lamps on the side-tables beside it, to warm stuff like two beanbag chairs on either side of the sofa and a seriously fluffy carpet lining the floor; this apartment was the ultimate bachelor pad with touch of nerd to it. I slumped into the beanbag chair and turned on the TV, which rested on a table trolley in front of the sofa. I casually flipped through the channels and stopped at CBS. Miami Medical was on. I sat upright and sighed, looking enviously at the team of hot doctors who walked in through the double doors as the opening credits rolled. If only real doctors were like the ones on television; no bags beneath the eyes, hair properly in place, slow motion entry, looking like they just stepped out of a beauty salon.

On Sundays, Mary-Margaret and I along with David and Killian, who were my colleagues as well; we watch pre-recorded episodes of Miami Medical. We have a pizza beer party and watch the sexy doctors perform an eight hour surgery and still look incredibly gorgeous, especially Dr. Eva Zambrano. I was absolutely smitten by her when I first saw Miami Medical. Regina Mills, the woman who played Dr. Eva, was such a commendable actress that I half believed she was a real life doctor. None of the other actors had their medical sorted as well hers.

I watched as Eva confronted Dr. Matthew Proctor for stealing her position as Chief of the Trauma Department. I got up and was about to head to the kitchen when my iPhone made the familiar sound of receiving a text message. This early in the morning could only mean two things, someone had died or I had been called on emergency.

I cursed under my breath and grabbed my phone from the side table, where it was charging, and stared horrifically at the message from Mary-Margaret.

===================================================================

**“911! Cora the Kraken surprise auditing us in 10 mins. Get your ass here NOW!**

===================================================================

“WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!” I yelled and rushed into my room, stubbing my toe in the door. “Yaouchie!” I winced and jumped on one leg towards the cupboard. I pulled out a pair of jeans and slid it over my boxer shorts. With no time to change, I simply pulled my lab-coat over my T-shirt and pulled my golden locks into a messy ponytail.

My stomach complained a little too loudly and I smacked my hand over it. “Now is not the time you stupid, muscular, hollow, dilated part of my digestive tract!” Nonetheless, I snagged a protein bar and sprinted out of my flat. I slid down the stair railing, left the building and jumped on to my bicycle. Advantages of living on Sunset Boulevard; the traffic was low and the hospital was only a couple of blocks away.

I pedaled as fast as I could and turned into a road, hoping to make a short cut. However, I landed smack in the middle of a very big- _ok wow-_ traffic block.

“Really? Why is everything working against me today?” I sighed and looked at the pavement. It was empty and I had a very clear path to the service lane ahead. “Desperate times call for desperate measures.” I nodded and pedaled my cycle on top of the pavement and moved hurriedly over it. Everything was finally falling into place for me. I grinned in self appreciation and moved into the service lane.

She came out of nowhere, right in front of me. My eyes widened and I clutched the brakes for my dear life. The cycle came to a sudden halt and the back tire lifted into the air. For a split second, I was doing a front wheelie with my cycle but I let go off the handle and fell right on top of the woman.

I clamped my eyes shut, waiting to go unconscious or just die. But my fall was cushioned by the woman who groaned loudly. I opened one eye and looked at her, terrified.

“Holy frigging Mordor! I’m so so sorry.” I pushed myself off her, barely paying attention to what she looked like. She stood up and dusted herself all the while I stared at the small cut on the back of her hand.

“You’re cut!” I yelped and began to fish for an antiseptic pad in my lab-coat.

“It’s fine.” She brushed it off. Her voice was strangely familiar but I was too pre-occupied with tearing open the antiseptic pad.

“No it’s not fine.” I grabbed her incredibly warm and soft hand and started wiping the wound with the pad. “Staphylococcus epidermidis, Clostridium tetani, Propionibacterium acnes, Micrococcus luteus and a 100,000 other pathogens are on your skin and could enter your bloodstream right now. Some of them are even fatal and if you die from this, it would go viral. Your family will have me dragged to the court and I would probably lose my practicing license. And I already live in a miserably tiny apartment and if I lose this job, I’m gonna be broke and have to live on the streets. I’m not street smart so I’ll definitely die within a week tops from a mugging gone wrong or simply because Salmonella enterica invaded my body and I didn’t have a frigging antibiotics to save me.” I kept on mumbling as I took out my pack of SpongeBob Band Aids from the inner lab coat pocket. Being a pediatric surgeon, cartoon band aids was a must have.

“So ultimately you will die from the small cut that I have?” The woman said, her voice laced with stifled laughter.

“Well, I would have,” I peeled a bandage and gently put it over her cut. “But not anymore, I just saved both our lives.” I nodded and ran my thumb over the bandage to smoothen it out.

“I take it you’re a doctor?” She chuckled and I wiped my forehead and finally looked up at her. She had a snapback covering her short, coffee brown hair and a pair of massive shades masking most of her face.  It seemed like she was almost trying to hide herself.

“What gave it away? The labcoat or the incredibly geeky talk of bacteria?” I said with a goofy grin.

“Oh neither. It was the SpongeBob bandage.” She nodded “You have to be a doctor to carry that thing in public.” She bared her pearly white teeth and laughed heartily.

“And here I thought that was the only normal thing about this situation.” I fake-gasped dramatically.

She smiled toothily and removed her shades. My expression faded in an instant and I stared at her, vacantly. The chocolate, almond shaped eyes; the brown hair and the perfectly sculpted body, she saw every Sunday with her friends.

“Holy Guacamole! You’re Regina Mills!” I drew in a sharp breath and immediately winced. “I just went mega goofy geek on Regina Mills.” I said, speaking more to myself. “WHY, THOU ART IN HEAVEN, WHY?!” I smacked my forehead. “I’m so sorry for nearly killing you Re-, Miss Regina.” I stumbled over my words, suddenly finding myself hyperventilating and being tongue-tied at the same time.

Regina, threw her head back and started laughing like a little kid. “Miss?” She grinned. “Well aren’t you adorable.” She smiled and poked my nose. If I was hyperventilating before, my body was in definite hypocapnia now and I could pass out any second. “Why are you apologizing? In fact, I should be thanking you.” She chuckled. “You did just save my life and the money my family would have wasted on lawyer bills. You’re my savior.”

“I uh I um huh?” I tried to speak but my tongue was working against me.

“What’s your name?” She smiled and twirled the left temple tip of her shades between her lips.

I gulped loudly and avoided looking at her lips. “I’m EmLATE-” My phone began to wail loudly and I suddenly remembered the reason I had left home. “Oh Kraken is going to kill me!” I wheezed and lifted my cycle off the pavement.

“I’m sorry I have to go like right now or the entire hell would be unleashed on me.” I looked at her apologetically and positioned myself on the bicycle. I began to pedal when she yelled, “Wait! Savior!” I wanted to stop and listen to her but I couldn’t afford to lose another minute. “I can’t!” I yelled back and pedaled into a turn, finally arriving at Pediatrics Hospital, LA. Not even bothering to lower the stand of my cycle, I let it drop to the ground and dashed towards the double doors of the hospital entrance. I stopped an inch from the door and looked back. “Of course, you’re never going to see her again,” I answered my silent question. “Well you’ll still see her on your flat screen every Sunday.” I reassured myself and shook my head, smiling as I walked through the door.


	2. McBurney's Point

“No!” Mary-Margaret’s mouth hung open as she stared at me in disbelief.

“Oh yeah.” I grinned and wiggled my brows as I ruffled through the pages of the patient’s history.

“The Regina Mills? The woman who plays Dr. Eva Zambrano?” She exclaimed while hanging the chart on the drip hook. 

“In the flesh.” I nodded. “We really hit it off. I mean the woman called me her savior. I had to keep myself from saying holy cow bow chika wow wow the entire time” I smirked and Mary- Margaret raised an eyebrow. “Savior? What did you do, push her out of the way of an incoming truck?”

“Oh she had a cut, I swooped in at the right time and spongebob-ed that sucker up” I gloated like bandaging Regina was the equivalent of a successful heart transplant.  
“She had a bandage able cut and she called you her savior? Actors.” She rolled her eyes and marked the vitals on the chart.

“OH MY GOD MARY-MARGARET DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PATHOGENS COULD ENTER HER BODY THROUGH THAT CUT!?” I gasped and looked over at the patient. He was a 7 year old boy who had to go through a simple appendectomy. “Adrian, tell her what I told you about pathogens.”

“The boy scooted back into his pillow and bit his lower lip trying to remember. “Um oh oh yes.” He smiled brightly and looked at Mary-Margaret as he recited the poem.

“I am a Pathogen, I can only make you sick; I live in the air and look like teeny tiny ticks; If you fall and cut yourself; I’ll enter your body, which won’t be swell.”

“Aww,” I smiled and ruffled his hair. “Good job little buddy.”

“You’re really like kids, don’t you?” Mary-Margaret chuckled. Even though she was a pediatric surgeon, Mary Margaret wasn’t a big fan of children. In fact, she would talk to the parents more than the children unless there was a really good-looking, single father she wanted to impress. She and I were together in med school but she fell a little short on merit for surgeons and had to opt for pediatric surgery. I, on the other hand, loved being around kids and chose pediatrics myself, even though I was in the top five of our class.

“Oh no,” I shook my head “I became a pediatric surgeon because I enjoy cutting them up. Muhuhaha.” I laughed, maniacally and tickled Adrian who squealed and squirmed in bed. “STOP STOP!” He yelped.

“Ello lassies,” Killian’s Scottish voice made us turn. “How shite is today huh?” He entered the prep room, dressed in blue scrubs and removed the cap from his sweaty, matted hair.

“How was the Kraken?” Mary-Margaret crossed her arms over her chest, and looked over his dreadful state.

“Oh she really knows how to hurt a guy without a kick to the balls,” he shook his head. “Crikey, that woman is a nightmare.” He puckered his lips and began to imitate her. “Oh are you sure you want to go with that incision, Dr. Jones? Dr. Nolan, is your medical degree fabricated?”

“Yikes! Why did Dr. Lacey have to leave? Ugh” I groaned. Dr. Cora was made the new Head of Department of General Surgery after Dr. Lacey left for New York. Even though this was the first time we were going to meet her, she came from Washington D.C with quite the reputation. She was a brilliant surgeon who was famous for working alone in the operating room. She never had a nurse, anesthesiologist or assisting surgeons; and for that people said she had tentacles which helped her do all the jobs at once. However, she was called the evil octopus monster, Kraken because she was known for making the miserable lives of residents even more miserable. She would give more bad evaluations than good ones.

“Emma! Emma!” Adrian interrupted and I rushed to his side.

“What’s wrong A-Game?” I said as my brows furrowed and concern washed over my face.

“My lucky m’rble! I can’t go w’out my lucky m’rble! Momma has it!” He whined and stuck out his lower lip.

“But you’re not allowed objects in the operating theatre.” Mary-Margaret stated as a matter-of-fact.

Adrian ignored her and looked at me with the cutest puppy dog face in the world. “Emmaaa! Pwwease?” He begged and I felt my heart melt. I couldn’t say no to him even if I wanted to after that.

“Ok I’ll go get it from your mom.” I nodded and Mary-Margaret puffed, “Emma, no.”

“Oh shush. I’ll slip it in the breast pocket of his hospital gown. No one is going to know.” I brushed her off and jogged out of the room. I sprinted down the stairs to the waiting room and took the marble from his mother. I came back to the room and entered while saying, “Hey A-Game I g- Oh fudge nuggets.” I gulped as I saw the new addition. The Kraken stood, with her arms hanging beside her and her right foot, impatiently tapping the floor. Her eyes narrowed on me and for a second I felt like I was in the Triwizard tournament and she was the Hungarian Horntail about to charcoal me to death.

“Dr. Swan, so glad you could join us.” Her face relaxed and she smiled.  “Care to explain why you were late?”

“Uhhh I had to go to the bathroom?” I said, suddenly confused. Surely, this woman can’t be the Kraken.

“Wait for it,” Killian, who was standing beside me, whispered when he saw my expression.

“Ah,” she smiled again. “Well since you don’t have a prostate gland that is crushing your urinary bladder, maybe next time you can control it? Just a thought.” Her features darkened and the Hungarian Horntail re-appeared. “Although, I won’t be surprised if you did.” She said and looked at my Neighborhood T-shirt with disgust.

“There it is.” Killian coughed. “Ladies, Dr. Mills.” He nodded in our direction and left the room.

“Shall we scrub in?” She smiled and rubbed her hands. “This is exciting isn’t it?” Mary-Margaret and I exchanged a quick glance and nodded, nervously returning her smile. One minute, she is going kung-fu panda on me and the next, she is the spewing rainbows out of her mouth. I had a feeling I had just encountered the spawn of Satan.

“Yes Dr. Mills.” I said and stepped out of the doorway, motioning for her to walk before me. “Chivalrous, I see.” She mused and walked out the door, followed at heels by Mary-Margaret whose jaw dropped open as she mouthed the word, ‘Bitch’ to which I bobbed my head excessively.

Once they were out, I hurried to Adrian’s side and slipped the marble in the gown’s pocket. He clapped gleefully and raised his head to give me a small peck on the cheek. “Thank you.”

I smiled and kissed his forehead. “You’ll be ok, Adrian.”

“Emma!” Mary-Margaret appeared in the doorway again and gritted her teeth. “Are you purposely trying to piss her off?”

“Sheesh, I’m coming.” I shook my head and headed with her to the dress room. We changed into scrubs and washed our arms up to the shoulders. Cora, already in her scrubs, was in the sterilization room being air-sterilized before entering the Operation Theater, by the time we got there. We followed her suit and headed into the OT, when Adrian was wheeled in. Mary-Margaret, took her position by the vital monitors and the anesthesiologist handed me the drip. Cora took the side opposite to me and nodded when I looked up at her.

With her affirmation, I inserted the drip into Adrian’s arm. “Dr. Swan please say what you are doing, out loud.” Cora said and I elevated an eyebrow.

“Yes, Dr. Mills.” I susurrated. “Giving the patient a single dose of prophylactic intravenous antibiotics before beginning the surgery.”

After a minute, the anesthesiologist handed me the tracheal tube and I lowered it into Adrian’s mouth to the specified point. “Introducing general anesthesia via endotracheal intubation.”

“Ok Adrian, close your eyes count sheep in your head.” I smiled and the boy obliged.

“Hmmm.” Cora commented but I ignored it. Once, Adrian was out cold, the nurse prepared the surgery area, examined it under the anesthesia and lowered the light over his bare abdomen.

“Vital signs are normal.” Mary-Margaret stated and I grabbed my scalpel. “No mass present, incision being made over McBurney’s point.” I held my scalpel to the skin and was about to slice in when, “Wait.” Cora interrupted.

“Where is the McBurney’s point, Dr. Swan?” She said.

“Where I’m making the incision.” I replied, slightly irritated. The woman was getting on my nerves.

“And where is that?” Her lips stretched into a devious smile. Clearly, she knew she was getting under my skin and was taking full advantage of that

“One third of the way from the anterior superior iliac spine to the umbilicus.” I answered, challenging her with my eyes to ask me any question she wanted to.

She nodded and I started to cut through the abdominal layers. “Splitting the external oblique aponeurosis and the internal oblique muscle along the fibers at right angles to each other.”

“Dr. Blanchard,” Cora addressed Mary-Margaret who let out a small, terrified squeak.

“Yes Dr. Mills?” She asked nervously.

“Why did Dr. Swan make the incisions this way?” Her smile widened. Mary-Margaret was intimidated just like she had hoped she would be.

“To reduce the risk of incisional hernia?” She said, unsure even though that was the correct answer.

“Are you sure?” She pursed her lips and Mary-Margaret gulped loudly. “I think so.”

“You think so.” She repeated and tuned her attention back to me. “Continue, Dr. Swan.”

I made two cross like incisions and cut into the peritoneum. “The appendix has been identified. Attempting to mobilize and ligate it.” I said as I worked my way around the tiny sack beneath the caecum. “Removing the appendix at the base and burying the stump into the caecum.” I stitched the caecum and moved away to let Mary-Margaret stitch the abdominal layers and dress the wound. She did it confidently because she was quite the expert at using the right kind of stitch for different surgeries. Cora made no objections as she worked her hands flawlessly. Once she was done, the nurse wheeled Adrian to the recovery room and Cora walked out of the OT.

The minute she was out, Mary Margaret and I let out a collective breath. “I think that woman is insane.” Mary-Margaret blurted out.

“Oh Dr. Blanchard, you think so.” The voice from above made us jet our head to the top. David and Killian stood in the observation room and watched us with evil grins on their faces.

“She’s a real ball buster isn’t she?” David said through the micro-phone and instantaneously, Mary-Margaret and I began to shake our heads up and down.

*******

“You spent five minutes with Dr. Eva frigging Zambrano?” David’s mouth went agape just like Mary-Margaret’s. They were sitting in the cafeteria having their evening break before the beginning of their clinic duties.

“She poked my nose. We’re on touch bases now.” I winked and took huge bite of my PB and J sandwich.

“Is she as perfect in real life as she is on TV?” Killian asked, dreamily and handed David a slice of the pizza.

“She’s perfect-er.” I sighed and reminisced the image of Regina moving the temple tip of her shades between her crimson lips. 

“Oh please, she called Emma her ‘savior’ after Emma put a small Band Aid on a tiny cut she had.” Mary-Margaret rolled her eyes and popped a grape in her mouth.  “She’s a drama queen if you ask me.”

“Do I need to remind you of pathogens every single time?” I gritted my teeth, narrowing my eyes at Mary-Margaret.

“Wait…” David looked at me, his eyes turning to slits. “Emma did you tell her about pathogens too?” He said, accusingly.

“Er…I may have mentioned names of a few,” I laughed slightly and scratched the back of my neck. “And possibly cross-related it to my own death.”

“EMMA SWAN, DID YOU GO DORK ON THE HOTTEST DOCTOR ON TELEVISION!?” David exhilarated and jumped up in his seat.

“Damn Nolan, you make it sound like I went down on her or something.” I shook my head and buried my mouth in the sandwich

“A sight I can vividly imagine.” Killian smirked and winked, earning groans from everyone.

“Eww, Kilian you’re such a perv!” Mary-Margaret wrinkled her nose and gave Killian a slight shove. Just then, our pagers beeped, indicating our break was over.

“Alright everybody, see you after clinic.” David nodded.

“Not I,” Killian grinned. “Because I, sir, have a gorgeous nurse to take home tonight.”

“You scored it with Nancy? Right on!” David yelped and hi-fived him. I doubled over with laughter and held my hand in front of Mary-Margaret. “Cough up the dough, woman.”

“Ugh, men.” Mary-Margaret shook her head and slammed the ten dollar bill in my hand, as all of us headed off in separate directions.

***

After the long and exhausting clinic duty, I headed towards the family ward. It was around two in the morning and I didn’t expect Adrian to be awake, but I wanted to check on him nonetheless. I tiptoed into his room and smiled when I saw him curled up in a ball beneath the sheets. I, stealthily, bent forth and put a chocolate beside his pillow. His 12 hour mark of no food was up and I knew he would love to wake up to a chocolate. Giving his cheek a small kiss, I left the room and headed outside the hospital where Mary-Margaret stood waiting for me. “Want to hit the diner?” She asked.

“I think I’m gonna turn in, that Walsh kid had me running around the entire hospital today.” I shook my head. “Cute kid.”

“I can never understand how you can withstand the whiney ones as well.” Mary-Margaret sighed and began walking down the street to the parking, as I followed close by.

“Come on, M they’re kids we used to do the same when we were little. Working with kids?” I smiled and looked off into distance. “It exonerates us and brings us closer to innocence we once had.”

“Alright nerd, I’m off. See you tomorrow, try not to have a nocturnal emission about Regina ok.” She chuckled and opened the car door of her Prius.

“You could just say wet dream,” I shrugged. “No need to be so fancy about nasty things.” She lowered the tinted, passenger mirror and shot me a dirty look, before putting the car in reverse gear and driving out of the parking lot.

I smiled and grabbed my own bicycle, which was surprisingly not the only transport left in the lot. Interns, I thought and shook my head laughing as I remembered sleeping on gurneys when I first became an intern and wasn’t used to the all-nighter routine. I pedaled to my apartment and jumped into my bed without getting a change of clothes. I drifted off the minute my face touched the pillow.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you so much for all the love and support you guys are amazing. Please keep reviewing I will post the next chapter next week :)


	3. Perimembranous Ventricular Septal Defect

_The puddle splashed and rippled beneath my feet as I ran through the dark alleyway. My lightsaber hung loose in my belt and flopped around, illuminating my path._

_“Obi Wan Kenobi?” I turned at the mention of my name and saw Gandalf waving his staff. “Yoohoo. This is so exciting no.” He jumped up and down causing both of my eyebrows to almost shoot up and off of my forehead._

_“Gandalf, are you drunk?” My mouth dropped to the ground as I stared in disbelief._

_“Just a little bit of Butterbeer.” He giggled and I choked on air._

_“What even…” I shook my head at the appalling fandom explosion happening right now and looked over at the looming spaceship_

_“Fine,” he rolled his eyes and huffed. “Here is your mission; board the ship, slay the Jabba and retrieve Princess Leia so you can tap that son!” He hooted._

_“I likey gangsta Gandalf so far,” I nodded in approval and boarded the ship. I made my way through the gold-lined corridors and came into the command center. In the very middle, Jabba the Hut rested on top of a tiny hill of Malteasers._

_“Screw princess Leia, I want the Malteasers.” I drooled and unsheathed my lightsaber, charging at Jabba._

_“Are you sure?” The seductive voice from beside threw me off and I dropped my lightsaber. I recognized that voice perfectly. “NO.” I turned slowly and the shimmer of gold blinded my eyes for a while. “FRICKING.” My mouth hung open and the figure in the gold bikini came into view. “WAY.” Regina Mills, wearing nothing but the infamous, iconic gold two-piece, stared at me like I was a Popsicle. “Oh my God, my Princess Leia gold bikini fantasy…no way.” I blinked repeatedly and rubbed my eyes._

_“Better pinch myself to make sure this is real…” I slobbered dreamily and pinched my arm._

The pain jolted through my arm and my eyes flew wide open. It took a while for me to establish my surroundings but when I did, I realized my hand was actually pinching my arm.

“Wh-ha-hyyy?” I whined and flayed my arms and legs against the bed. I had just killed the most perfect dream I have ever had. I turned over in my sheets and tried to go back to sleep but the sun had burned my eyes too much for them to close again. I sighed and silently cursed myself as I jumped off the bed and changed into a pair of jeans and a button down shirt. I grabbed my phone, donned my labcoat and grabbed a box of Malteasers from the kitchen cupboard.

“At least you’re real.” I beamed and tossed the honeycomb goodness wrapped in a ball of milk chocolate, into my mouth as I left my apartment. Fridays were early clinic duties for me which is something I did not really enjoy. Even though I love kids, rectal temperature measuring was not my thing.

Foolishly hopeful, I cycled to the same spot where I ran into Regina but found no one there. Of course she was not going to be there. She was a Greek Goddess on earth and I was a lab-coat wearing, fandom obsessed and sleep deprived nerd. I went to the hospital and entered the clinic office where a bajillion case files waited for me.

“Emma! HI GURL!” I whirled around and was immediately greeted by the flailing fore limbs of Mary Margaret heading in my directions. My eyes widened as she giggled and hiccupped while pulling me in for a tight hug. “Isn’t today just wonderful?”

 “Mary Margaret, are you…are you drunk?” I said, baffled as I was still unable to register the scene in front of my eyes.

“Just a wee bit,” she moved her forefinger and thumb in a pinching manner before me, “of energy drink Killian gave me.”

“If anybody sees you like this, you’re going to be in so much trouble.” I gasped in horror and pulled her towards the desk making a mental note to smack the shit out of Killian. She slung her arms around my neck and hiccupped. “You know –hic- I always liked you –hic- the gal pal kinda way –hic-,” she smiled and puckered her lips leaning forward.

“Wow Mary Margaret when you recover I am so holding this against you for the rest of your life.” I grinned and supported her to the chair. Just then, I head the door handle turning and I quickly dropped Mary Margaret on the floor and shoved her underneath the wooden desk and sat down on the chair; moving it into the space of the table so as to conceal her from whoever was behind the door.

Inattentively, I busied myself with the files as the familiar clicking of heels filled the room. “Dr. Swan.” I didn’t need to look up to know who that enunciated, loud and deep voice belonged to.

“Dr. Mills.” I sighed and looked at her with the most constipated smile I could manage.

“Great to see you here on time. No bladders to relieve I see.” She spoke with no hint of smile crossing her feature.

The laughter ensuing from beneath my desk caught me off guard. I had completely forgotten Mary Margaret was here. I was quick to cover up by making a laughing gesture myself. “Yes indeed, Dr. Mills. No more pee breaks.” I nudged Mary Margaret with my foot hoping to hell she would understand and stop talking.

Cora narrowed her eyes slightly and scrutinized me. “Well I hope to see Dr. Blanchard soon. Has she arrived?”

I could feel Mary Margaret shuffling and kicked her slightly with my foot; an action I was about to regret as she let out a loud yelp. I stood up and grabbed my foot. “Ow ow, stubbed my toe. Ow” I winced in fake pain.

“Isn’t that a little too dramatic for toe stubbing?” Cora cocked a brow and tilted her head in a questioning manner.

“Clearly you’ve never stubbed your toe then, Dr. Mills.” I spoke through gritted teeth and she smiled.

“Yes indeed, walking and sitting properly is an art of its own. Not many people possess the talent of footwork.” She smirked and headed for the door. “I will see you in the OT. I presume you are assisting Dr. Neal for the corneal transplantation?”

I nodded in affirmation. Dr. Neal was a nice person who let me assist him in various ophthalmological surgeries, something I was going to get extra credit for when I apply for specialization.

Cora left and I breathed a sigh of relief. Mary Margaret giggled from beneath me and I wheeled my chair back. “You idiot! Cora would have deep fried you and eaten you for breakfast with proper dressing and salad and stuff.” I puffed.

In response, Mary Margaret simply giggled and shakily stood on her feet. “You can eat me for breakfast –hic-.” She smiled dreamily and made her way forward.

“Ok buddy, the booze has clearly inhibited your senses” I reached up and grabbed her as she collapsed in my arms and went unconscious. I swooped her up and lay her down on one of the gurneys and wheeled her in the corner of the room. I could not risk taking her out since Cora is like shark. She can smell resident blood from miles. I shuddered at the thought of Cora with a great white shark head closing in on us.

Grabbing the first file of the massive pile, I began my tiresome day. Some thirty patients weirdly eyeing the drooling, open mouthed face of Mary Margaret later, she woke up and shuffled in the gurney.

“Whaa…” She groaned and clutched her forehead. “Ugh my head is throbbing what happened?” She squinted and tried to take in her surroundings.

“Killian fed you booze and you got high and almost got into trouble with Cora. Oh and a lot of cute, single dads just saw your disgusting drooly face and went for Dr. Ruby instead. She stole your game man.” I chortled and rummaged through the paperwork.

“HE WHAT!?! I asked for something to keep me awake and WHAT!?!” She jolted upright and immediately regretted it, clasping her aching forehead. “Damn that Ruby. If I wore those non-existent shorts and cheap hooker lipstick, I’d have guys lining outside my office.” She rolled her eyes. “Thanks for saving me from the Kraken. God she scares me.” She shuddered.

“Oh sure. Anything for my ‘gal-pal’.” I stifled a laugh and looked at her confused expression, amusingly.

“Um excuse me?” Mary Margaret quirked her brows.

“Oh you know when you were drunk you kinda admitted you liked me in the gal pal way and tried to kiss me.” I couldn’t take it any longer and fell back in my chair, letting my laughter fill the room. Mary Margaret turned pale and choked.

“I did WHAT NOW!?” Her eyes widened in shock.

“Wow Mary Margaret you’ve always been like a sister to me but maybe if you wear cheap hooker lipstick and non-existent skirts I might swing your way.” I winked and Mary Margaret grabbed the nearest object, a notepad, and flung it at me.

I easily dodged it and clutched my stomach as the hilarity now started to hurt my muscles.

“I WAS DRUNK. Alcohol inhibits senses. I am not a fucking vagitarian. I prefer my schlongs thank you.” She mused and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Eww eww did not want to know that.” I winced. “Still going to annoy you though.” I sneered and Mary Margaret stormed out the room, making a very impolite gesture with her finger on the way out.

I laughed and got back to my work. After the surgery, I met with Killian and smacked him for intoxicating Mary Margaret but then we both burst into a hysterical fit of mirth as I relayed her misgivings.

The day went fast and was less tiresome than usual. I got home and took a bath to rejuvenate myself. Soon after, I slumped in my bed and decided to clock in some early hours of sleep but it wasn’t coming. I slumped in my sofa instead and started flickering through the channels. Miami Medical, the episode we were supposed to watch this Sunday was just starting. I felt a pang of guilt and immediately turned the photo frame which hosted the picture of my four friends against the table and continued to watch.

“Sorry guys,” I mumbled as Regina Mills sauntered through the hospital corridor with the meticulousness of a model. A patient was wheeled into trauma and she began to perform a tracheotomy on him. “Now how the fricking Mordor is she not a doctor!?” The place where she made the cut was so accurate and pin-point that no matter how many medical dramas you see, no one gets it right. Not even Dr. Eva’s colleagues on the show. I ogled at her for good about twenty minutes as sleep started to flood over my eyes and next thing I know the alarm is buzzing for eight am and the magnolia ceiling is staring at me uninvitingly.

*******

It was Sunday night. Killian, David and Mary Margaret were all collapsed on the sofas and we were passing around cheese popcorns and beers as we intently watched Dr. Eva sassing Dr. Chris.

“Man Chris is such a douche.” David groaned and threw a popcorn at the screen. “Die, you insignificant piece of fictional shit.”

“Chris is so hot though. I ship him and Dr. Eva. They are totally going to bang.” Mary Margaret chimed in and I threw a popcorn at her.

“Oh hell no, Dr. Eva totally has the hots for Serena Warren.” I stuck out my tongue and Killian laughed. “Emma, darling, Hollywood is ruled by hetronormativity. If you want to watch girl on girl I suggest you take your business to the naughty side of the internet.” He ran his thumb over his lips and earned a collective gross from Mary Margaret and I.

Once the episode was over, which I chose not to tell my friends I had already watched half of, we began to discuss our current cases. We would always save our tricky patients or interesting surgeries and discuss them with each other. It is how all doctors bond and chill out together. My brother had the misfortune of witnessing our ‘chill out’ once and after five minutes cursed us all and fabulously cat-walked out of my apartment to the nearest gay bar.

“I have the cutest kid with Pectus excavatum. Thankfully her heart and cardiac functions have not been impaired. Mostly cosmetic work.” David sighed.

“I have a child with a cleft lip and palate. I think the Man Upstairs is the biggest procrastinator out of all of us. He doesn’t listen to prayers and he cannot finish his humans properly.” Killian shrugs and takes a swig of his beer.

“Man I hate it when little people have to suffer. It’s just unfair,” I groaned and Mary Margaret rolled her eyes. “If they didn’t, we won’t be making a living. With suffering comes money.” She remarked rather insensitively.

“Wow don’t ever have kids Mary Margaret.” I grimaced and continued. “There is this case of perimembranous ventricular septal defect that came yesterday to Dr. Hopper We’re going to consult on it tomorrow and see if he requires surgery.”

After an hour or more of dismal discussions, everyone bid farewell and I was left alone on the couch think of the callousness of the world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys updates will probably be painfully slow I'm really sorry. But hopefully next chapter will be posted by next week. Please review and let me know what you think. Don't worry the Regina Emma meet is not far now.


	4. Littlefoot

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This has been a very unkind year I’m really sorry for this half a year later update. Sorry guys ;_; THE WAIT IS OVER well I mean for the new chapter at least (heh). I’VE MADE IT EXTRA LONG PLEASE FORGIVE ME OK. Not gonna babble on. Enjoy my precious people.

“Suture it up.” I removed my clasps from the incision and took a few steps back as Killian took my place and began to stitch up the long incision along the length of the patient’s abdomen. I exited the room and quickly changed out of my scrubs.

===============================================================================================  
Oi! Kracken is gonna stop by the clinic in five minutes and unless I somehow get really extensive plastic surgery she’s going to know it’s not you. Hurry!!  
===============================================================================================

I stared at the message on my phone screen and hurriedly donned my lab coat as I began sprinting through the hospital corridors. I was supposed to be doing clinic duty but Killian called me in the middle to ask for assistance on an important case since Dr. August, who was supposed to be in charge, had left the hospital due to some emergency (Probably a date with his Hampton’s girlfriend). Today was particularly sluggish anyway so I asked Mary-Margret to take my place and went to help him. However, Cora has strict rules about clinic duty. If you miss it, she doubles your time and sticks you with really horrible jobs like rectal examination. I shuddered at the thought as I burst through the waiting room and tripped over a few legs while mumbling apologies.

“Oh thank god you’re here.” Mary Margaret let out an exasperated sigh and got up. “A kid threw up on me, Emma. He barfed all over my favourite shirt.” She groaned and narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m going to call in a major favour for this.” I nodded and thanked her as I sat down on the chair and began rummaging through the pile of files. I pressed the intercom button and absent-mindedly read the name of the patient. “Send Henry Mills in please.”

A small boy ran excitedly through the door while dragging someone behind him who let out brief sighs layered with stifled laughter. I smiled reflexively and got up from my chair as I looked down at the child. “Well hello there cutie.”

He giggled and I motioned for him to sit on the stool; upon which he jumped and began to sway his legs. I looked up at the parent accompanying him who was surprisingly wearing huge shades and a really long coat, the collars of which extended halfway to her face.

Peculiar, I thought.

“Hi I’m Dr. Emma Swan.” I introduced myself to them. “I’m Henwee. I’m four.” The boy smiled and hid his face behind his mother’s leg who remained silent as a small smirk crossed her lips which bewildered me even more.

“So that’s your name.” The excruciatingly familiar voice greeted my ears and it took every ounce of my strength to keep my jaw from dropping and hitting the floor. I looked up as the woman removed her shades to show the crinkles of smile coaxing her brown eyes and took off her coat. “Dr. Swan.” She repeated, letting her voice linger as my eyes popped and my face stiffened.

“Uhhhhhh,” I shook my head and let a nervous laughter ensue. “Hah that’s me! Yippee! Dr. Emma Swan. That is my name yes” I nodded a little too excessively and extended my hand for a handshake. _What even…_ I regretted the minute my hand shot forth but Regina just laughed and took my hand. The warmth was comforting as I shook her hand….a lot. I found myself unable to let go but just then Henry interrupted my trance.

“Is It Swan like the bwird? Are you a bwird?” He looked up at me with his doughy eyes and child-like innocence. I immediately let go off Regina’s hand and directed my attention towards him. “That is my secret identity.” I kneeled forward and lowered my voice. “Human by day and superhero bird by night.” I grinned and put my finger over my lips. “But shhh this is our little secret.” He beamed and nodded. “Won’t twell anyone.”

She looked up and saw Regina smiling at him and _her_ adoringly. “He’s a pretty healthy kid. What seems to be the problem Ms. Mills?” I tried my best to push the fangirl away from my professional ethic.

“He had a fever in the morning. Our family doctor is on a vacation so I brought him here.” Her expression quickly flitted to concern and I praised the Gay Lords for making the conversation a bit easier. She was not going to go mega geek on Regina Mills again. I grabbed my stethoscope and placed it on Henry’s back. “Now Henry sit straight and draw in the deepest breath you can.” He obliged and I smiled. “Good now let it out.” A few breaths and tests later, I grabbed his file and began scribbling down.

“Well his chest is a little congested. He has a cold but there is nothing to worry about. It quite commonly starts with slight fever before the flu shows visible symptoms.” I said and Regina let out a sigh of relief. “Oh thank God.”

“I’d need some details however, for official record. Henry’s exact age is?” I questioned. “Four years and 8 months.” She replied as she took a seat on one of the chairs in the corner

“I’ll be five soon. I’ll be bwig boy.” He swayed his legs and flashed a toothy smile at me.

“Wow I’ll be surprised if you don’t start showing grey hair, that’s so big.” I fake-gasped and he giggled, “You’re silly I’m too smol for twaht”

Regina shook her head and nodded, “You’ll be big enough to help mommy in the kitchen. We can make pancakes together.” Hearing this, made Henry jump up and down on his seat and clap his hands. He quickly settled back and sneezed.

“Bless you,” Regina and I said together while Henry chimed in with a “Bwess me.”

“He’s a really adorable kid.” I looked over at Regina who nodded while smiling down at him. “You and your uh-” I coughed slightly unsure of the exact word to use. “Significant other are really lucky.”

Regina cocked her head in my direction and her eyes caught mine. She stared for a bit and I felt my throat start to tighten to a point where breathing was so uncomfortable that any further tightening and I was going to need a tracheostomy. Her gaze was so intense almost as if she could see the cogs turning in my mind. A smile etched across her lips as she diverted her eyes to Henry, “Well I’m very lucky, my ex however did not feel the same. He bailed when he found out I was pregnant with Henry.”

“Oh,” I said pointedly unsure of what else to say. A small part of my head was miniature versions of Gandalf and Dumbledore rejoicing and singing gay theme songs but the majority of it was saddened by the thought that someone could leave behind a kid. Her eyes flitted to Henry’s face who seemed so happy and carefree like she was when she was a child but as she grew older, the absence of her father affected her as it will eventually affect Henry. “Your ex is male genital shaped faeces.” I bit my tongue but the words were already out there. “I mean uh I-“

I was stopped by the sound of soft laughter erupting from Regina. She threw her head back and covered her face with her hand as she let herself get carried away with laughter. “Thank you for swear-proofing that,” she beamed up at me, still recovering from the laughter. “He most definitely is.” I was too lost staring at her to actually register what she said. It was like the slow motion film thing when she laughed. I could swear that there was this movie wind following her that made her hair flow and a really dramatic soundtrack was playing in the background.

The beeping of my pager snapped me out of my trance and I quickly deflected my eyes. I stared at the “Incoming” message on my pager screen from Mary-Margret which meant Cora was heading my way.

“Uh rightio,” I grabbed my prescription pad and quickly scribbled a few names. “Here,” I tore the page and held it in Regina’s direction who was smirking at me, clearly having witnessed my extremely drool-stare fest.  My cheeks started to burn as I tried to gather my composure. “The um syrup will help ease the throat ache and will probably put him to sleep so just give it to him at night and give the pills to him with breakfast and dinner for the next seven days. It’s a precautionary antibiotic so he doesn’t develop a secondary bacterial infection.” I nodded a little excessively and avoided eye-contact with the woman.

A moment later, she jumped up slightly finally realizing I had stopped talking and stood up. “Yes uh right. Thank you Dr. Swan,” she said a little exasperated and Henry bounced off his seat too. He shot forward and wrapped his arms around my legs in a tight hug. “Thwank you.” This action surprised me and Regina equally. A warm smile spread across her features as her eyes darted from Henry’s face to mine.

“Well he seems to really like you.” She smiled and I gently ruffled Henry’s hair. “You can’t see it but there is this Fourth of July celebration going inside my head at the thought of him liking me.” I grinned.

“How could he not?” She chuckled and I felt my chest tighten slightly as I my eyes dashed across her face. We looked at each other in silence for what seemed like a really long time when she coughed and let out a comfortable sigh. “It was lovely meeting you Dr. Swan.” She extended her hand and after a few moments of registering reality, I gently grasped her hand and shook it a little more professionally than the last time. “Total pleasure.” I returned her smile.

She turned to leave as Henry withdrew and grabbed her hand but stopped short in front of the door. “Hey um,” she turned towards me and it took everything to remain rooted to the same spot and not walk closer to her. “You know I think I should keep your number in case Henry gets sick or I need rescuing from pathogens on small cuts? I mean I may look like I have finesse but I’m really clumsy.” Her lips twisted into a half-smile as a deep crimson shade enveloped my cheeks. I winced slightly remembering that moment. I really needs to learn to keep the nerd at bay, I though and grabbed my card of the desk.

“Of course,” I mumbled as she took the card from my hand; her index finger gently brushed across my hand. “Call me whenever.” I added and she laughed, the same movie laugh that was already replaying through my mind in a really gay loop.

“I will,” she said with a secretive look that perplexed me slightly. Her hand reached from the handle but it was yanked open by someone else.

“Dr. Swan, why is it ta-” Cora Mills stopped dead in her tracks. Her face lost all expressions as she stared at the woman before her. The colour seemed to have left her cheeks and the angry demeanor with which she entered the room had evaporated into the surroundings.

“Cora.” The words left Regina’s throat bitterly as she stared at Cora’s face. Her back was turned to me but I could see her muscles tighten.

“Regina.” Cora said through gritted teeth as she quickly re-composed herself.

“Emma?” I said, unsure of what was happening. Both heads turned towards me; one looking at me like I was the spawn of Satan and the other giving me the ‘you’re cute but shush’ look. “Oh that’s not what we’re doing? Ohky doky then I’ll shut up” I mumbled, my voice fading away at the end as I quickly busied myself with case files on my desk.

A timid Henry emerged from behind Regina, where he had previously hidden when Cora burst through the door. The older woman’s eyes quickly registered the small body and they broadened with shock. “Is that your um…” She trailed off.

“Son. Yes.” Regina finished for her. The tension in the air was getting thicker by the minute and I suddenly felt like I was in an episode of Miami Medical. The room started to look more dramatic by the minute. I quickly bent under my desk as my mouth fell open and I tried to contain my confusion.

“Why didn’t you… I mean…” Cora, the supreme sass queen, was stuttering and unable to form coherent sentences.

“How could I when you wanted nothing to do with me after I dropped out of medical school…mother.” She spat and I flew up, hitting my head sharply against the top of the desk. The noise momentarily distracted both of them as I winced with pain shooting through my brain but quickly held up a pen, “Sorry, dropped this really important thing um carry on.” I choked out and placed my free hand over my mouth to keep myself from shouting ‘NO FRIGGIN WAY’.  

No wonder she did some of the medical procedures on the show so accurately… oh my God Mary-Margret was going to flip when she found out, I thought to myself. I raised my head slightly from under my desk so my eyes were above the wooden frame. Now that I really looked at them I could see the similarities in their faces. They had the same face cut and nose, and if she aged Cora back a bit they’d probably look the same. _Oh my GOD, MILLS? THE SAME MILLS? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? The Kraken is Regina’s mother? HOLY MORDOR?!_ It took so much to not burst out and ask the questions rambling in my head.

“Look Regina…,” Cora started but Regina shook her head. “Save it.” She glared at her and moved past her not before leaning against the doorframe slightly and shooting me a fleeting glance and a quick smile. She left with Henry following at her heels and I finally stood up from behind my desk. Cora’s eyes were closed as her face contorted into a pained expression; something I never thought I would see. It made her so human that I wanted to reach out and comfort her. But that expression faded as soon as it came and her eyes became cold again as she narrowed them on me.

“Dr. Swan, do you think you can outsmart your way out of clinic duty by letting one patient linger until clinic hours are over?” She dead-panned.

“I uh-” I tried to gather my words but having witnessed what I just did I didn’t know what words would be appropriate.

“Clearly your ability to speak is as incapacitated as your ability to be an efficient doctor.” She said and turned away from her. “Nurse Graham,” she called out to the man organizing the duty slips and he came rushing forward. “Yes Dr. Cora?” He said lowering his eyes to the ground. “I think Dr. Swan doesn’t understand the importance of clinic duty so why don’t you knock off all the other doctors who are supposed to replace her. A few extra hours of clinic duty ought to ingrain some respect for this honourable task in her.” Her lips curled into a small sinister grin as she sauntered away. Graham shot me an apologetic look before nodding and hurrying towards his desk. I slumped into my chair and groaned. I had to spend the entire night at the hospital like a miserable intern. However, the thought of meeting Regina Mills in person made the misery fade away as I reminisced the moment. I sighed happily and began moving through the rest of the case files.

***

“OH MY GOD!?” David screeched as his eyes shot open. He was lying down on the gurney while Mary-Margret and Killian were sprawled over the chairs; mirroring David’s expression.

It was midnight and her friends, after finding out what Cora had done, decided they’d help her out for a bit. They waited until Cora had departed for the day and came here to inquire why all of this had happened. As she relayed the events of today, their faces were filled with disbelief and excitement.

“Aye Swan, I’ll be damned. It’s like you have some lucky gay pheromones which sends unachievably hot women your way,” Killian shook his head and David bobbed his head. “UH-HUH and she said ‘How could he not??’ after she talked about her kid liking you?” He gasped. “OH MY GOD?!” He repeated.

“Geez! Chill guys! I mean she’s probably straight. She had this kid with a dude.” I shrugged and took a bite of the salmon sandwich Mary- Margret has brought along for me.

“She could be bi, Emma. I mean she’s too hot to be gay but then again I can see her making out with another woman, eh?” Killian smirked as his eyebrow quirked.

“That is such a homophobic, cis, white boy thing to say,” I narrowed my eyes and he held up his hands, laughing. “Oi I have one fourth Italian in me. Not purely white.”

“You essentially called her ex a dickturd and she asked you for your number, Emma.” Mary Margret lips thinned as she pulled them into a straight line and looked at her, knowingly. “She has a family doctor and she asked you for your number so you can protect her from pathogens?” Her hands spread into a rainbow arch and she mouthed the word ‘GAY’.

“Oh pfft she was just being nice,” I scratched the back of my neck, “She’s probably never going to call, it was a one-time thing.” I sighed and slumped further into my chair. “I am such a goof please I can’t get a normal girl’s attention why would Regina effing Mills be interested in me?”

“I have no idea. For some fucking reason you have more game than I do.” Mary-Margret sighed. “I mean here I am, all dolled up and stuff and then there is you; grunge, rarely washed, T-shirts and a huge dork but still that really hot nurse Graham was into you and not me. You should have seen his face when I told him you were as straight as the alimentary canal.” She whimpered and I laughed.

“I know I should feel offended but oh my God, did you really say that?” I grinned and she sighed. “I mean you’re adorable and I wish all the hottest women stumble your way but geez can you leave me some of the good-looking, decent dudes? There aren’t many y’know,” she pointed in Killian’s direction as he narrowed his eyes and said “Oi!”

“I’m sure you have guys fawning for you too, M,” David chimed. “I mean have you seem you? Damn.” He added a little timidly and she blushed while Killian and I smirked. If it were up to me I’d grab both of their faces and push them towards each other while making the derp face and saying ‘Now kiss’. They were so in love with each other but somehow they were oblivious to this.

Mary-Margret smiled warmly at David and mumbled, “Thanks David. You’re not so bad yourself.”

“Oh for the love of God, get a room already.” Killian laughed and Mary-Margret shot him a pointed look.

“Dr. Swan, a patient is here.” The voice buzzed from the two-way intercom and I bid my friends farewell for the night as I resumed my duties. Around 3 o’clock in the morning, there were finally no patients but given our 24 hour policy I wasn’t allowed to leave until I was relieved of duty; which thanks to Cora wasn’t going to happen tonight. I placed my feet over my desk and closed my eyes when the soft humming of my phone distracted me.

===================================================================================  
Hello, this is Regina. Regina Mills? We met today I brought in my son Henry? Just wanted to say how grateful I am for your help today  
===================================================================================

Any sleep that had invaded my senses was gone and I read the message repeatedly. How many Regina's' did she think I knew? Even if I did no one would ever be as memorable as her. I smiled down at the message for five minutes before realizing she was probably expecting a reply.

~~“Howdy”~~

_Who even says Howdy nowadays?_

====================================================================================  
Hey, yes of course. You’re the only Regina in my life, no need to elaborate. Haha. And please it was a total pleasure.  
====================================================================================

I hit send and quickly winced. “ONLY REGINA IN MY LIFE?” I exasperated. “LOCATE CHILLS EMMA!” I shook my head.

I watched the phone screen as my mind began to ramble. “I’ve probably freaked her out with the super gayness.” I hit my head gently against my desk and just then my phone buzzed again. My eyes immediately darted over the screen.

=====================================================================================  
**Regina:** Only Regina huh? Glad to hear that. ;) I hope I didn’t wake you up? I know sleep time must be hard to come by as a doctor.

-

Instantaneously I responded; my heart jumping at the sight of the wink emoji.

-

 **Emma:** Oh no you didn’t wake me up. I’m currently stuck with an all-night clinic duty. :c

 **Regina:** Oh no I’m so sorry to hear that. Did you work clinic all day? You must be so exhausted.

 **Emma:** It’s alright Dr. Cora was not appeased by my delay in working today.

I waited a bit but a response never came so I sent another text

 **Emma:** How’s Henry doing?

-

The reply was quick and Emma made a mental note not to mention Cora again.

-

 **Regina:** Oh his throat started to hurt but the syrup eased it and currently he is sound asleep with his Littlefoot stuffed toy.

 **Emma:** LITTLEFOOT? LAND BEFORE TIME LITTLEFOOT? I LOVE LITTLEFOOT! I mean as a kid you know I really loved the movies not anymore pfft I mean it’s not like I still have a Littlefoot plush toy on my dressing table next to my Gandalf action figure.

-

She couldn’t help the geek this time.

-

 **Regina:** You’re such a dork, it’s adorable. You and Henry should get together and gush about your mutual likes.

 **Emma:** Hey! Land before time is a classic drama movie way ahead of its time ok? Gettit? Ahead of it's time hehe. Littlefoot was orphaned in such a sad way I mean you’d have to be really heartless not to tear up at that. I’d give that movie all the Oscars. Henry has impeccable taste. Maybe we will get together and gush about him. :P

 **Regina:** Ahahaha yes I have no doubt in my mind about that. Extremely adorable. I’ll let him know that you love it as much as him. Don’t blame me if he insists on meeting you again.

-

A smile crept across my lips as fireworks exploded within me.

-

 **Emma:** Nothing would bring me more joy than seeing his face. He is such a cute kid. Hopefully not at the hospital though.

 **Regina:** Just his face? ;)

-

My breath caught in my throat and I almost dropped my phone. “THIS IS FLIRTING RIGHT?” I read it again.

-

 **Emma:** I mean of course seeing your face again would be lovely too. My friends I watch it on television every Sunday. For the record, I ship you and Serena Warren.

 **Regina:** YES? I know right? I can practically see the tension between our characters. Thank God I’m not the only one but ugh the writer’s see a more hetero route for Eva.

 **Emma:** YOU CAN’T SEE IT BUT THIS TINY GAY GANDALF IS JUMPING AROUND THE ROOM. HALLELUJAH EVEN DR. EVA AGREES WITH ME I’M SO GOING OT RUB THIS IN KILLIAN’S FACE TOMORROW. He’s a fellow colleague and one of my closest friends along with David and Mary-Margret.

 **Regina:** Hahah oh I think I can imagine the Gandalf. Amazing. And that sounds lovely. I rarely get time to make friends or hang out with people except Kathryn. We’ve been best friends since we were kids so she cuts me some slack on my absences…sometimes.

 **Emma:** Oh I feel you I’ve lost touch with most people I knew mostly because in the foster system I moved a lot. But I met my brother Neal there so that’s cool.

 **Regina:** Oh… I’m so sorry. I didn’t know you were foster kid.

 **Emma:** It’s alright my mother couldn’t care for me and I love where I am now. I’m sorry too. You seem like a really fun-tastic person and the fact that so many people are deprived of that? I mean :O

 **Regina:** Hahahah funtastic huh? Well I’m glad I chose not to deprive you of that. And you’re not so bad yourself Dr. Swan ;)

 **Emma:** Me too. I feel like I’ve been just been awarded knighthood by the Queen of England herself.

 **Regina:** You adorable goof.  Well Emma it was lovely talking to you but I have to wake up early tomorrow for the shoot and as much as I would like to spend the night talking to you I really should get some shut eye. I’m really sorry you are stuck with an all-nighter. Maybe next time I’ll bring you some late-night snacks.

 **Emma:** Oh likewise I hope the shoot goes ok I have a lot of questions about the show that I’d like to ask I’M DYING OVER HERE LIKE ARE THEY GONNA KILL OFF TUCK?! I REALLY LIKE HIM OK :c And I mean the very thought of you bringing me snacks just made Dumbledore erupt from within me and join Gandalf in the excited galloping around the room.

 **Regina:** Hmm I don’t kiss and tell ;) but maybeeee I’ll make an exception you’d have to put up a very convincing case though. And of course in some crossover universe Gandalf and Dumbledore would definitely be gay for each other. I see it. Well goodnight Emma xx

 **Emma:** I SHALL TRY MY BEST! And THANK YOU I SHIP THEM SO MUCH! Goodnight Regina xx ====================================================================================

I put my phone down and stared at the ceiling. I felt so happy and satisfied in that moment like that feeling you get after taking a sip of water or when rain splashes across your face; this feeling was like I didn’t know I was missing it but now that I had it I can’t picture life without it. Yet, I didn’t even know what it was yet; just that I definitely liked today.


End file.
